Improvement in saw-mills



.H.5.MEss|M1-:R. Improvement in Saw Mills. v1 \lo.12'3,7`19.

Patented Feb. 13, 1872.

UNITED STATES HENRY E. MESSIMER, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN SAW-MILLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,719, dated February13, 1872.

Specification describing an Improvement in Saw-Mills, invented by H. E.Mnssmnrn,

of Williamsport, Lycoming county, Pennsylvaina.

The invention relates to the mechanism for holding and feeding forwardthe logs to the saw or saws. It is applicable to iiat gangs, roundgangs, slabbing gangs, pony gangs, and resawing'machines.

It is important to keep the space in front of the forward feed-rollsentirely clear, so that all the room will be available for rolling inthe logs. It is also important to give a positive feeding motion to theupper as well as to the lower feed-rolls.

My invention accomplishesl this and gives certain and positive feedingmotion due to the confining of the log between roughened rollers, bothof which are moved by the mechanism, while preserving the entire spacein front of the feed-rolls clear. Y

I employ a pitch-chain ruiming over corresponding pulleys, sometimesknown as sproclr# 'i et-wheels, so that the chain, receiving the slowand continuous motion from the power, shall run around and give motionto both feed-rolls,

running from a pulley on the shaft of the lower feed-rollaround an idlepulley above, and on the route between this lower and driving-pulley andthe upper pulley shall act on and give corresponding motion to the upperfeed-roll. This arrangement allows the upper feed-roll to rise toaccommodate large logs, and to sink to act on small ones.

this speciiication. Figure lis a side elevation, v

partly in section; and Fig. 2 is a front elevation. The drawingrepresents the novel parts with so much of the ordinary parts as isnecessary to indicate their relations thereto.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is a fixed frame-work. M represents the saws mounted in a gang, andreciprocated vertically, as usual. B is the lower front feedroll, and Cis the upper front feed-roll. The lower roll B is mounted in fixedbearings. The

upper roll C is mounted in bearings which are capable of movingvertically. The bearings of the upper rolls C are fixed on the uprightmovable bars D D, which are supported in guides in the framing, and arecapable of a vertical motion to as great an extent as is ever desired.Cords or chains d extend from near the upper ends of these bars D l),and are wound upon a shaft, E, which is supported in fixed bearingsabove, and is operated by a cord, g, which unwinds from a pulley, E', onthe shaft E, as it is wound up on the small shaft H below. The shaft I-Imay be operated by hand at will by turning the hand-wheel H',

and the upper roll G maybe thereby elevated whenever required, and maybe lowered again as required. I is a pulley mounted in a movableframing, J, turning on the center j. This pulley I is directly over thepulley B- on the end of the lower feed-roll, and the arrangement is suchthat the pulley C on the shaft of the upper feed-roll C is nearly inline between them. All three of these pulleys are provided withindentations and projections adapted to match to the links of a stoutpitch-chain, O, which runs around in contact with it in theinanner'represented. The frame J, which carries the upper pulley I, istilted or changed in in position by turning on its shaft j' according asthe opposite end of the frame J is drawn down by the cord or chain 7c,controlled by the hand-wheel L and-pawl l.

By turning the hand-wheel L the cord or chain 7c is taken up by windingit upon the axis thereof, and the pawl l, acting in the ratchet-teethrepresented, holds the framing J, and consequently the upper pulley I,at any elevation to which it may be adjusted. The shaft B ofthe lowerfeed-roll receives motion from the driving-power by a train of gearingor otherwise, and the rotation of this shaft B acts directly on thelower side of the log to do its portion ofthe feeding, and by propergeared connections operates the other corresponding lower feed-rolls, asusual. This shaft B also,

Wheel H and its connections, as shown.

by means of its pulley or sprocket-Wheel Bf, imparts a slow and reliablemotion to the pitch-chain 0. This chain runs in contact with the pulleyC of the upper feed-roll C, and thence runs over the upper pulley I, andthence completes its circuit, as represented. The upper feed-roll C isconsequently compelled to turn with a steady motion, corresponding tothat of the lower roll B, and contributes its aid to the reliablefeeding of the log.

When a large log is introduced it is necessary to raise the feed-roll C,and when a very small one is received it is necessary to lower it; thisbeing effected by the aid of the hand- The pitch-chain continues to actas before, except that itis liable to be somewhat slackened or tightenedby the operation. This change in the tightness follows naturally fromthe change of the angles at which the chain is deilected in its coursefrom the pulley B to the pulley I. These changes of condition, as alsoany change in the length of the chain due to repairs or other cause, andthe gradual increase in length due to wear, may all be readilycompensated for b'y turning the hand-Wheel L and raising' and lowering`the pulley I.

It Will be evident that a corresponding de- Vice may be employed tooperate a fluted roll in place of the plain press-roll in rear of thesaws, and operate it with similar devices, thereby increasing the Vpowerof the rolls to pull the log through after the front roll ceases tofeed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isas follows:

I claim, in combination with the gang-saws M, the feed-rolls B C,sprocket-Wheels B C I, and pitch-chain O, with means, J la L, forcompensating for changes of conditions, substantially as hereinspecified.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my name in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

HENRY E. MESSIMER.

Witnesses PHILIP MILLER, D. W. MILLER.

